Weather Forecast

Minnesota Opinion - On little to do in the Legislature? Maybe take a week off

Minnesota Opinion - On little to do in the Legislature? Maybe take a week off

Tribune Opinion West Central Tribune

+1 (320) 235-1150 customer support http://www.wctrib.com

http://www.wctrib.com

opinion An excerpt from recent Minnesota editorials
From The Associated Press
On little to do in the Legislature? Maybe take a week off
Nearly two weeks ago, Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller suggested that legislators should go home for a while. Things are so slow in St. Paul that he said...
Willmar, 56201

Willmar Minnesota 2208 Trott Ave. SW / P.O. Box 839 56201

2012-11-30 12:15:51

An excerpt from recent Minnesota editorials

From The Associated Press

On little to do in the Legislature? Maybe take a week off

Advertisement

Advertisement

Nearly two weeks ago, Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller suggested that legislators should go home for a while. Things are so slow in St. Paul that he said "I don't think there's a reason to have people sitting around here looking for opportunities to create mischief."

There are two reasons for the lack of activity. First, the early weeks of the session were quite productive, as Gov. Pawlenty signed the bonding bill, a jobs bill, a package of budget cuts and a slimmed-down health care program for the poor.

And now everyone is playing wait-and-see, as the local financial impact of federal health care reform remains somewhat fuzzy. Little is likely to happen with the state's remaining $700 mil-lion deficit until those numbers clear up.

So, if there's little for our elected officials to do, we like the idea that they should go home for a week. Let's save some daily expenses -- up to $96 per diem for each senator, and $66 for each representative.

A little cost-cutting won't fix the budgetary hole, but it won't hurt, either.